Best Vegan Meatballs
By the Gracious Vegan
I have tried many, many approaches to vegan meatballs, and this one finally hits the mark. Many vegan meatball recipes contain beans, which, to me, give the meatballs a soft, squishy texture that isn’t the best. I ended up with a combination of mushrooms, walnuts, and tempeh—held together with a little vital wheat gluten—to get a firm, chewy texture. These meatballs don’t disintegrate in sauce or soups, either. These meatballs go well with Gracious Vegan Marinara Sauce and your favorite pasta.
Makes 16-20 one-inch-diameter meatballs
Preheat oven to 400°F and line a sheet pan or cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Add the following ingredients to a large skillet or pot. Add a few tablespoons of water and water-sauté them on medium heat until the liquid released by the mushrooms has evaporated.
4 ounces of white button or cremini mushrooms, well chopped
A quarter of an onion, well chopped or diced
2 cloves garlic, minced or chopped
Add the grated tempeh and water and cook over low heat until the water is absorbed.
4 ounces tempeh, grated
2 Tablespoons water
Add the following ingredients to the skillet or pot and stir everything together.
1/3 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1/4 cup vital wheat gluten
1 Tablespoon Braggs Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce)
1 Tablespoon water
3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon regular paprika
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes for spiciness (optional)
With your hands, shape the mixture into small meatballs (about the size of a walnut). Place on the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Turn them over and cook for another 12-15 minutes or until they are firm and a full shade darker.
See these recipes that use the meatballs.
Timing: About an hour